It’s already been 20 years since the cinematic release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone! To celebrate two decades of magic, a special themed cafe has just opened in Japan. That’s right, Harry Potter is just as popular in Japan as it is in the West (there is also a Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of Universal Studios Japan, too, if you didn’t already know!). Two special cafes are opening to celebrate, one in Tokyo’s trendy district of Harajuku and one in Nagoya as well.
Both of these cafes feature food and drinks that are heavily themed, inspired by both the original 8 films along with the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series. Whatever part of Harry Potter you love the most, you’re going to find some great food and drinks to help you celebrate the magic, too. Let’s have a look at this incredible menu!
Harry Potter Cafe, Tokyo & Nagoya
Location | Tokyo Address ● Omotesando Box Cafe & Space, Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 5-13-2, Pine Under Flat B1 Nearest train line(s) Nagoya Nearest train line(s) |
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Cost of Admission | ¥650 Seating fee + cost of food and drink |
Hours of Operation | Time and days ● Tokyo - July 22 - September 12, 10am - 7:30pm ● Nagoya - July 23 - August 22, 10am - 7:30pm |
Official Website | https://boxcafe-hp.jp/ (Japanese only) |
The Experience
Harry Potter fans always have House pride, so let’s start with the Hogwarts House-based food and drinks. Each House has a smoothie in that House’s signature colour, served in a glass with bubbling mist coming out of the bottom and the House crest adorning the top. There are also bento boxes for each House that look like a spellbook on the outside of the box, with sandwiches that are also themed after the House’s colour on the inside. You can even choose to buy the book-shaped bento box as an extra souvenir of your experience!
If smoothies and sandwiches aren’t doing it for you, there’s even more. The Herbology Class Salad looks like it has an actual potted tree growing out of the middle of it. The Hogwarts Crest Shepherds Pie is something you can imagine eating in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. There’s even an Owl Snack Platter complete with finger sandwiches that look like letters and a cute owl-shaped dessert. If you’re a Quidditch fan, there’s the Golden Snitch Parfait layered with orange and yellow fruits and topped with the Snitch’s wings.
Then there’s our personal favourite, the Hogwarts Express Cafe Latte! There is cotton candy “smoke” on the top that looks like it’s billowing out of the smokestack of the train facade on the front of the cup. We recommend pairing it with none other than a replica of the misspelled “Happee Birthdae” cake that Hagrid gives to Harry in the first film.
If you’re looking for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them food, there’s a couple of desserts to choose from. First, there’s a beautiful orange tart featuring the fan-favourite Niffler’s face. There’s also a chocolate cake that looks like Newt Scamander’s magical trunk — and it even opens up, with surprise fruit inside.
This is easily one of the most Instagrammable theme cafes we have ever seen!
Additional info
The most important thing to know about the Harry Potter Cafe is that it is reservation only. The reservations can be made via the cafe’s website (Japanese only) and there is a ¥650 (around $5USD) seating fee. That reservation price does come with a free gift, though, so it’s not too bad. Plus with how popular Harry Potter is in Japan, and how amazing the food at the cafe looks, it’s better to know you have a seat than risk showing up only to be turned away. Restaurants in Harajuku are also known for having huge queues, so at least you don’t have to worry about that, either!
If you prefer to take it out instead of eating in, don’t worry. The Harry Potter Cafe still has some options for you! The smoothies based on the Hogwarts houses are all available to take away. That also means even if you can’t get a reservation you can still enjoy a little bit of Harry Potter magic and show some House pride. The Hogwarts Express Cafe Latte is available for take-out, too!
No concept cafe would be complete without merchandise, and the Harry Potter Cafe is no different. There’s a whole line of items based on Honeyduke’s, the sweets shop featured in the movies, including an eco-bag and keychains. There’s also a lot of stationery, including washi tape, file folders, a letter-writing pack, and stickers. There’s merchandise for both the original Harry Potter films and also the Fantastic Beasts franchise. And don’t forget you can buy the spellbook bento box from the main menu, too.
Final Thoughts
Maybe we said the word “magic” too many times but how can we not when we are talking about Harry Potter? And truly, the Harry Potter Cafe is a magical place. The food and drinks have such intricate details that will make even die-hard fans happy, and they really do celebrate an incredible 20 years (and counting!) of films. Whether you’re going to make it to the cafes yourself or just happy to read about them and dream, we hope you enjoyed seeing how amazing these food and drinks are.
Are you planning to go to the Harry Potter Cafe? What would you order if you could go? Were you surprised to learn how popular Harry Potter is in Japan? Drop us your comments and questions below!